Christmas - the Gift of God’s Love through Jesus
A little more than a week ago I was in the maternity wing of
Jesus wasn’t
born in a hospital, but in that stable back behind the
Holiness in a smelly stable. Majesty in the midst of the mundane. Divinity
entering the world by being born of a teenager in the presence of a carpenter. Hardly the way we’d
expect the Savior to come into the world.
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Many years ago, before anti-discrimination laws, Mrs. Rosenberg
attempted to check in a fashionable resort hotel on
The desk clerk said, “Sorry no room.
The hotel is full.”
“But your sign says you have vacancies.”
The desk clerk stammered, and finally relied, “But you know, we don’t
admit Jews. Please try someplace else.”
“I’ll have you know I’ve converted to your religion.”
“Oh really. Let me give you a quiz. How was Jesus born?”
“He was born to a virgin named Mary in a manger in a little town called
“That’s right. And why was he born in a manger?”
Raising her voice, Mrs. Rosenberg answered, “Because some idiot behind
a hotel desk wouldn’t give a Jewish woman a room for the night.”
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Jesus’ humble birth anticipates his ministry to all kinds of people -
to rich and poor, great and humble. So
when the angels bring that birth announcement it is addressed to
shepherds. One might have thought that
if angels were going to make an earthly appearance, they’d select someone more
notable, like a priest.
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A little girl, dressed as an angel in a Christmas pageant, was told to
come down the center aisle. She asked:
“Do you want me to walk or fly?”
Shepherds were generally held in low esteem. But now these shepherds, these nobodies,
became the most famous anonymous group of people in history. Everyone’s heard about them, but no one knows
their names.
That God would choose such ordinary guys shows that His grace and love has
nothing to do with our status. As our
lesson puts it:
When the
goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not
because of any works we had done, but according to his mercy. Titus 3:4
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Salvation is
accomplished by God’s goodness and loving kindness - which reflects the divine
nature. As the bible teaches, God is
love. Love motivates all that God does.
God who
is love, acts in love sending His Son.
Christmas is the way God demonstrated His love for us - He sent His one
and only Son into the world that we might find life through him. (1 John 4:9)
Jesus Christ, the human expression of God’s love, came among us as a
living example of the way of God’s kingdom, His rule of love - the way of
peace, of justice, of concern for all.
Christmas reminds us that Christianity is not really about do’s and don’ts that keep people from having fun. Christianity is about God’s love for us – and
about our love for God expressed in our love for one another.
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I am bringing
you good news of great joy for
all the people;
to you is born this day …
a Savior –
Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10,11
Christmas is good news. It shows
us God is love - and points to a better way of living.
Love is the key to understanding the life God wants you to have.
He sees our potential – and sees us falling short – messing up. He would change us, not by compulsion or
threats – but through forgiveness and love.
God loves us so much that he doesn’t want to leave us as we are.
So Christ offers us His love and grace - His gentle rule.
He invites us to follow in his way – the way of self-giving love toward
others. It is the path to better
relations with family and friends, for it is the way of peace and harmony.
Christ teaches us how to love by showing us. In the gospels we see Jesus’ love in action.
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But this Christ-like love isn’t something we can do on our own. Rather it is a supernatural love that comes
from God’s presence in our lives. As our lesson says, he offers us renewal by the Holy Spirit. This Spirit he poured out on us richly,
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Titus 3:5,6
He empowers us that we might be renewed and discover
new life – His kind of life. He has given us His Holy Spirit to fill our
hearts with His love, (Romans 5:5) that we might share love with others.
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How do you respond to the message about Jesus?
Perhaps your reaction is a reflection of someone in the Christmas
gospel. It presents three different
reactions to the Savior: First
the response of the shepherds; second of those to whom the shepherds
told the news, finally that of Mary.
Which one could you identify with?
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The shepherds heard the angel’s message – the word of God – and ‘went
in haste’ to see what they had been told.
They see their Lord in the manger.
They worship the savior – glorifying and praising God. And they “made known to others’ what God had
made known to them.
Thus the shepherds are one model for our response. They invite us to faith – to simply believe
the word – and to make it a part of our lives.
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While some of you may share the shepherds’ enthusiastic response of
faith, the author of the gospel suggest its not the
only response – because he presents two other reactions to the good news.
When the
shepherds had seen Jesus, they
spread the word
concerning what had been told them about this child.
They went and told others about the angelic revelation – and its
fulfillment in the birth of the savior.
How did their friends respond?
And all who
heard the message from the shepherds were
amazed by what they
had been told.
Luke 2:17,18
“Amazed” doesn’t necessarily mean “believed”. Throughout the gospel, those who hear Jesus
teach – who see the miracles – are impressed.
But their amazement doesn’t necessarily lead to faith. Sometimes it does – but other times only to
questions.
Perhaps some of you are like those folks in the gospel. You find the message about the savior
amazing, but you still have questions.
Tonight’s gospel suggests an answer for those who aren’t firm in the
faith – who still have doubts.
Mary kept all
these things – remembered them – reflecting on them
–pondering
them in her heart. Luke 2:19
In the gospel it is suggested several times that Mary really can’t
comprehend all that she is told. She has unanswered questions.
In faith she
goes along with the divine plan, trusting that her understanding will grow, as
she continues to meditate on what she has been told.
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So Mary is an invitation to those who aren’t sure – who still have
their doubts. She advises faith in spite of your unanswered questions. Keep thinking and mediating on God’s word and
your understanding will increase. Mary
says to you, “If I didn’t immediately understand God’s word when it was
delivered by an angel, why should you think it’s all going to be clear to
you? It takes time. But if you will just begin to trust God’s
word and act upon it, your insight and understanding will increase.”
Faith is a
way to understanding.
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The Christmas gospel shows us three reactions to the message about the
Savior – thus reminding us that we’re not all going to respond in the same way.
Tonight, whether your faith is strong or only tentative, come forward
to the altar for communion.
Like the
shepherds, kneel in the presence of Christ, pondering the wonder of His love.
Like Mary,
bring your questions and doubts to the Lord, asking Him for greater
understanding.
Make a new beginning and Renew your commitment to Christ,
to sharing His love with those in your life
- for as you share His love with
others,
you become an
instrument of His peace, and
begin to
experience the life He intends for us.